Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
2 That one may learn wisdom and instruction, And receive words of understanding;
na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
3 That one may gain the instruction of prudence, Justice, equity, and uprightness;
hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
4 Which will give caution to the simple, To the young man wisdom and discretion;
be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
5 Let the wise man hear, and he will increase his knowledge, And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels;
nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
6 So as to understand a proverb and a deep maxim, The words of the wise and their dark sayings.
be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
8 Hear, O my son! the instruction of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother!
Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
9 For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head, And a chain around thy neck.
Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not!
Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us lurk secretly for him who is innocent in vain;
Ne wogblɔ na wò be, “Va kplɔ mí ɖo, na míade xa ɖe ame aɖe ƒe ʋu ŋuti, na míanɔ xame na luʋɔ maɖifɔ aɖe,
12 Let us swallow them up alive, like the underworld, Yea, in full health, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all kinds of precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse;”—
eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
15 My son, walk thou not in their way, Refrain thy foot from their path!
vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
16 For their feet run to evil, And make haste to shed blood.
elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
17 For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird,
Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
18 So they lie in wait for their own blood; They lurk secretly for their own lives.
Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
19 Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof.
Aleae ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖi yome la ƒe nuwuwu anɔ, elabena eɖea ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la ƒe agbe ɖa.
20 Wisdom crieth out in the highway; In the market-place she uttereth her voice;
Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
21 At the head of the noisy streets she crieth aloud; At the entrances of the gates, throughout the city, she proclaimeth her words [[saying]]:
Ele ɣli dom le mɔtata siwo dzi zinyenye le la ƒe dzogoewo dzi eye wòle eƒe nyawo gblɔm le dua ƒe agbowo me be,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?
“Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi mi gegemewo mialɔ̃ bometsinuwɔwɔ? Va se ɖe ɣe ka yi fewuɖulawo akpɔ dzidzɔ le fewuɖuɖu ŋu, bometsilawo alé fu sidzedze?
23 Turn ye at my reproof! Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make known my words to you!
Ne ɖe mietrɔ ɖe nye mokaname ŋu la, anye ne metrɔ nye dzi kɔ ɖe anyi na mi eye mena mienya nye susuwo.
24 “Because I have called, and ye have refused, —Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one hath regarded.
Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
25 Because ye have rejected all my counsel, And have slighted my rebuke, —
eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
27 When your fear cometh upon you like a storm. And destruction overtaketh you like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
ɛ̃, ne eƒo ɖe mia dzi abe ahom sesẽ ene, gbegblẽ hã zɔ to mia dzi abe yali ene, eye xaxa kple hiã va mia dzi kpoyi!
28 Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer! They will seek me early, But they shall not find me!
“Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
29 Because they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of the LORD, —
Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
30 Because they would not attend to my counsel, And have despised all my reproof, —
le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own devices;
Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
32 Yea, the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them.
elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
33 But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely, And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil.”
Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
